Kit Palmer | December 8, 2021
Cycle News Observation Check
COLUMN
Everybody Wins
Something happened a while back that made me think about my very first trophy I earned in motocross. Actually, it was my first trophy ever, and it’s still proudly gathering dust on a shelf in my garage. In fact, I still have every trophy and finisher pin that I’ve racked up throughout my 60 years. You might think that would be a lot, but unfortunately, it’s not. Few of my recognition of accomplishments are on display at the moment, but most of them are carefully wrapped up in a box somewhere in the same garage as trophy number one—mind you, it wasn’t a first-place trophy, but it is the trophy I care about most. Someday soon, I will, however, bust them out and show them off properly, but for now, Mr. Third Place plastic trophy with the old Trail 90 on the top (with the broken-off front wheel) is the only one in plain sight these days. It’s the one I care about most.
You see, I thought about that trophy again a few months ago when I was signing up for an endurance competition that I was about to take on. The morning of the race, I went through the usual registration process and was handed my pre-race swag bag that you sometimes get from the race promoters. In the bag I noticed was the race’s finishers medal, which I thought to be quite odd—getting your finishers award before you even start the race! I didn’t really think about much right after that; instead, I went about my business, got to the start line, raced, and was glad to see the checkered flag a few hours later. But crossing the finish line this time seemed, well, a bit empty.
Finishing endurance races of any type has always been a fulfilling experience for me, and there is nothing a whole lot better than being greeted by a friendly and encouraging face who is about to slide your finishing pin/medal inside your glove after a grueling enduro, grand prix or hare & hound, or whatever. As I said, I didn’t win a lot of trophies in my heyday, but I did rack up numerous finishers pins and medals, and I cherished every single one of them, even to this day, because I’ve always had a strong desire to finish what I started, and believe me, there were many times I wanted to quit, but instead forged on.
In the bag I noticed was the race’s finishers medal, which I thought to be quite odd—getting your finishers award before you even start the race!
When I started racing motocross at an early age, my goal was to get a damn trophy. At that time, you only got a trophy if you finished within the top 30 percent of your class. The 125cc Beginner class was a popular one, often there were 20 other beginners on the start line, all wanting the same thing as me. I tried and tried and tried but no luck. I was a 40-percenter. Finally, it was 100-percent trophy day at the races, and I would finally get my trophy. I finished, I don’t know, maybe 10th or something, and my dad rolled his eyes back when I went to get my trophy. “You really want a trophy for 10th place?” he said. “Heck ya!” But when I got to the trophy booth with the 20 other kids that “won,” I quickly had a change of heart. No, I really didn’t deserve a trophy for 10th place and went back to the truck, empty handed, again. Sure, I was disappointed, but I was just going to have to try a little harder to earn that first trophy.
Well, it finally happened a few weeks later. I got third overall and brought home my first honest-to-goodness and well-deserved trophy. I was so proud. I even took it to school the next day to show my friends. I don’t think I’ve ever been as proud of any trophy, even a first-place trophy (which, yes, also eventually came).
I believe that third-place trophy would go on to play a big role in my life. It taught me a lot. Basically, the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment that I got that day after “winning” my first trophy was enough to make me want to have that feeling over and over again, whether it’s in racing, taking a test in school, or anything in your day-to-day life—it’s basically that old adage that if first you don’t succeed, try, try again. You will succeed, even if it’s ninth place, eighth place or, well, third place—that is success. Sometimes I don’t think we teach this old cliché enough, but I learned it real quick when my dad rolled his eyes back that day. Keep trying, it’ll be worth it.
Well, it finally happened a few weeks later. I got third overall and brought home my first honest-to-goodness and well-deserved trophy. I was so proud. I even took it to school the next day to show my friends.
I just hope handing out finisher pins, medals or trophies before the races (or any kind of competition or challenge for that matter) before the green flag drops doesn’t become a trend or something we accept. I hope it was just an oversight on the promotor’s side. I plan on racing with this club again in the future, and if my finishers medal is already in my pre-race bag of goodies when I sign up, I might just have to something to say about it. CN
